and organize on behalf of immigrants,
prisoners, workers & others whose
lives are under threat.

Children in this country are suffering
right now because their parents
who are involved in social justice
movements have been the targets
of harsh repression.

With your help, the RFC can support and nurture the vulnerable children of these courageous families.

About the RFC

The Rosenberg Fund for Children (RFC) is a 501 (c)(3), non-profit, public foundation that makes grants to aid children in the U.S. whose parents are targeted, progressive activists. We also assist youth who themselves have been targeted as a result of their progressive activities. Donations to the RFC are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

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RFC News

Our Spring 2018 newsletter reports on a beautiful, woke, weekend full of love with several dozen of our beneficiaries; Executive Director Jenn Meeropol's thoughts on the new tax reform bill's implications; a preview of upcoming events around the country with activist artists; the announcement of a Tony-nominated actress who's joined the Advisory Board; and the stories of the young activists and children of activists who received grants in our most recent cycle. Read the newsletter here.

The RFC office is currently experiencing intermittent email delivery problems. Some messages are not reaching us. If you've sent an email and don't get a reply, or want to confirm we've received your message, please try emailing again later, and/or call our office at (413) 529-0063.

For people who have been gone for almost 65 years, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg turn up a lot…and in some surprising ways. In connection to Donald Trump, a 1970s rock star, a re-imagined 1950s cartoon character, or a modern dance troupe in North Carolina, these are just a few of near-constant mentions of the iconic couple in today's news and pop culture explored in the blog here.

Are you a baby boomer who is now required to make annual, Required Minimum Distributions (RMD) from your 401(k) or 403(b) retirement account? These distributions are taxed as income, but they become tax-deductible if they are donated to the RFC.

Did you know that the charitable gift tax-deduction benefit is at risk in the proposed new tax plan, thus RFC donors who can afford to give stock may have one, final opportunity, before the turn of the year, to receive the maximum tax benefit by giving vastly appreciated stock which the RFC can sell without paying any tax to the Trumpites? Robert Meeropol explains more about how both donors and the RFC can benefit before potential changes in tax law take affect, in the blog here.

We're halfway through awarding our fall grants, and so far we're on track to fund more new applicants than we have in the last five years: a clear sign that there's both fierce resistance happening in our community, and fierce repression. The new grantees' stories described in the blog here are harrowing, but also inspiring.

In our latest newsletter, you'll find info on this year's Art & Activism themed events, including several coming up this fall; our Executive Director's reflections on reaching her 10-year anniversary at the RFC; stories of the activist families whose kids we're helping; and more. Get all the details here.

"Soul-nourishing...beautiful, woke, full of love weekend...moved me in ways I could not imagine."

These are just a few of the reactions from participants in a recent event that brought RFC grant recipients together for several days of creative cultural activities and community building. Get a glimpse of this profound event through the participants' eyes. The blog here highlights some of their words about how powerful it was for them to meet others who share the experience of being the children of targeted activists.

This interactive workshop open to adults and older children and led by visual artist Sophia Dawson, will introduce people to political prisoners, and explore the questions: what makes someone a political prisoner? Who are some of the U.S. held political prisoners? How can we support them? How can we use visual art to share their story?

The session will include video and other information about U.S. political prisoners, and give an opportunity for participants to interact with correspondence to and from several of these incarcerated individuals as part of Dawson's ongoing body of work around this issue, including her Paper Planes project, which strives to create 800 planes to represent the number of years political prisoners from the black liberation movement have been collectively incarcerated.

Sweet Honey in the Rock, Climbing Poetree, The Love Experiment, and Sophia Dawson are coming to Easthampton, MA for a free "Art & Activism" themed festival this Saturday, August 26th!

The Rosenberg Fund for Children is proud to be the presenting sponsor for this edition of the Millpond.Live festival in Millside Park (2 Ferry St., Easthampton). We hope you'll join us for this multimedia journey incorporating music, spoken word, video and visual art in a conversation about pressing social issues including racism, police brutality, U.S. political prisoners, and other topics. The intergenerational lineup features artists who have dedicated their careers to creating change and speaking out against injustice.

Millpond.Live gates open at 5:00 pm on August 26th, and music begins at 6:00 pm. Attendees should bring blankets & chairs, and are welcome to carry in their own refreshments or purchase on site from food trucks and local microbreweries. This free, all-ages event will be the second installment of Millpond.Live's 2017 season, an eclectic, art and music festival spanning six Saturdays (August 19th - September 23rd), with different themes each week.

Visit Millpond.Live for more details on the August 26th Art & Activism event and the rest of the 2017 season.

Meet Our Community

"RFC is exactly what we need to do in other realms of our organizing- building long term infrastructure that makes it EASIER for ordinary people to be in the movement, to have relationships while they are in the movement, to have a fulfilling life while they are in the movement, and so on..."

"At this time of economic havoc and as an 83 yr old living on a fixed income, I had to make some painful decisions about how I would allocate my donations. The one thing I did not have to think twice about was my commitment to the RFC, to which I had been one of the original donors."

"As an artist committed to social justice and civil liberties, I am deeply gratified to stand with the family of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, Angela Davis, and a new generation of political activists to forge an unbreakable link between the struggles of the past and of the present."

"We were so excited when we learned that you had decided to give grants for our music lessons. It has been difficult to pay for them since our father lost his job. Thank you for recognizing how our dad was singled out for his stand against war, and for realizing music's importance to our family."

"In the 1950's my father went to jail for being a member of the Communist Party. As a teenaged girl it was important to know that someone outside our own family cared what happened to us, knew that we needed emotional as well as some financial support. I know from my experience that the work you are doing is very important."

"What the RFC does is totally unique, lending financial and in many ways spiritual support to the people who lay everything on the line for the betterment of our world. It gives us a great sense of pride to be aligned with such a noble and vital organization."

"Our community requires an organization that aids children in this country whose parents have been targeted in the course of their progressive activity. Please join me and the thousands of RFC supporters who stand with those who resist."

"Thank you for the grant to cover my son's academic & sports activities. As I'm sure you know, it is difficult working for social change. To me, the grant is a gift and a form of validation and encouragement."

"Thank you for making it possible for our family to attend the Children of Resistance commemoration. We are proud to be part of the RFC's 'beloved community'. Thanks again for your support, material and spiritual."